Method of molding brick shapes



Feb. 6,3923.

C. L, NORITON. v METHOD oF-MoLplNG BRICK SHAPES.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

'man 'MAY 24. i921,

Feb. 6 1923. 1,444,519.

C. L. NORTON. l METHOD 0F MOLDING BRICK SHAPES.

man MAY 24. |921. z-sHzEs-snm 2.

@y M ZM @M45/@o Patented hielo. 6, i923.

Fill@o Y* CHARLES L. NORTON, OF BOSTON, IVQSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOPU TO REFRACTORIES MACHINERY MANUIACTUBING COILVPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPRATION OF PENNSYLVANA.

METHOD OF IVIOLDING BRICK SHAPES.

Application filed May 24,

To all whom t 11mg/ concern.'

Be it known that l, CI-rAnLns LADD Noi:- ToN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Boston, inthe county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of li/lolding Brick Shapes, of which the following is a specification.

ln Letters Patent of the United States, numbered 1,332,616 and 1,332.67?. granted to me under date of March 2, 1,920, there are described and claimed a method and machine for making molded bodies of granular or comminuted material, the said method and machine being particularly addressed to the problem of automatically molding accurately formed and substantially homo- `geneous bodies, such as brick-shapes, coinposed of hard, irregularly shaped, non-plas tic ,granules` such as the crushed ganister employed in the manufacture of refractory silica-brick.

While, as pointed out in the said patents, crushed and granular Acanister furnishes a conspicuous example of the class of muterials which respond to the described method but are ill adapted to other methods of molding shapes such as bricks; similar characteristics, different doubtless in degree from, but like in kind to, those which are possessed by crushed ganister, render the said method, and the improvements `thereon herein described, advantageously applicable to a variety of materials. For instance, in the manufacture of clay fire-brick, the material often employed is a` hard, stone-like clay. which like granister rock has to be prepared by granulation. The granules of such clay, while not so hard as ganister granules, r plastic in their heless far from constitution, and esist molding pressure to a degree so pronounced that the edges and corners of clay fire brick shapes are notoriously imperfect, and theV shapes themselves defective as .regards homcgenei= f and uniform density. And. though the insistening suoli granulated hard clay, or the mixture therewith of a pasty, less refractory clay, in proportions suiiiciently small tpl avoid undue deterioration of the heat-resist- 1921. serial No. 472,244.

ing property of the brick, produces a coatingl of plastic and lubricant material on the hard granules, the granules themselves mani-- fest their non-plastic and resistant character by the aforesaid imperfections in product, when, as has heretofore been the practice, this granular clay material has been molded by extrusion through dies. lily method has proved effective to mold not only silica brick, but also tire-clay brick, the material in both cases possessing similar physical characteristics.

Before making' application for the aforeaid patents, l designed and caused 'to be built and operated, a machine (from which the illustrative drawings of the patents were made) Ain which the brick-molds were adapted to form the standard nine-inch silica brit-,k forms, in groups of sin forms at a single charge. Since then, other machines have been built from the pattern furnished by the first one, which have successfully demonstrated on a commercial scale the manufacture of brick by the method described and claimed in the said patents` these inacliinns being also designed and proportioned to make the standard nine inch silica brick.

As set forth in the said patents, the physical condition characteristic of the method by which these bricks have been made, is the projection as by dropping, into a mold, of a dense` swarm of individually non-plastic granules, each slightly separated from its fellows, so that each has available to it, for mobility in any direction a clear, though restricted, space. At the instant, before the swarm of granules is consolidated by the accumulated impacts of the individual. granules upon the surface of the mold, and

y l.inst each other, the swarm presents as were a. vastly enlarged model of a drop of liquid, each granule representing a mobile molecule: and the consolidation or coinpacting of the swarm into the molded shape is, likewise, a model of or analogy to, the solidilication or freezing, of a drop of liquid. ln this sense, the swarm of individually solid granules is momentarily fluid, the gfanules retaining mobility and continuing;` motion with relation to one another and thus pel etrating into all the edge and corner portions et the mold space.

lt should be borne in mind that the interval. between arrival in. the mold ot the lowermost Granules in a falling clmrpp, and the completion ot the molding ot the charge, is a small traction ot a second; and that during this interval the transition ot each granule from its original straight path ot movement through a series ot rebounds and oscillating movements, progressively decreasing .in length, to its final position of rest, takes place. v

in order to produce effectively the conditions requisite to completely lill the mold, the granules composing each charge should be allowed to tall freelyY land without retardation, disturbance, or dell ction, so that each granule shall descend straight to the place in the mold Where its tall is arrested and its downward motion converted into a series et vibratory rebounds by impact against the surface which first arrests it, and then against other granules. For these reasons itv is prescribed in the said patents that the chute or tube through which the charge falls from the hopper Wl ere it was accumulated to the mold which is to receive it, shall be, particularly at its lower end, larger in horizontal cross-section than the interior olf the mold; this to avoid retardation or deflection ol' granules situated at the outside ot the descending swarm, by contact with the sides ot' the chute during descent.

lllhile machines designed and made in substantial accordance u'ith the specitications and drawings of thesaid patents., or-which amounts to the same thing-duplicates ol' the machine from Which the said drawings were prepared, have proved effective to perform the process and to produce the above described physical condition ot the charge oli granules, in the manufacture oit the relatively simple standard nine inch silica brick, the molds for which are onlyl ar-zdee-p as the least lineal dimension o'f the bricl about tivo and one-quarter inches; it has been discovered, first: that the regularity and continuity ol" firoduction et such standard brick is improved, formation ot' large and irregular special silica ybriclr shapes brought Within the scope ot my patented method, by improvements in method and mechan 1 Which form the subject of this specication and its companion tiled contemporaneously, the object ot which is to attain the closest possible :unuoximation. to the ideal condition olx a dense swarm et non-plastic granules, each surrounded. by a clear though limited 'tree space in air, and each falling freely and Without diversion from its gravitative path, and with no retardation except that produced by air-resistance, until it reaches that point or region in the mold Where its tall is arrested by imular and non-plastic i'naterials as the imme-r diate objective, l have discovered that the improvements, particularly in their preferred embodiments and exemplilications, are also adapted to the production ot molded shapes composed ot plastic or semi-duid material, which While so Well suited to manipulation by extrusion methods that such operations will doubtless always be resorted to when shapes of uniform cross section are to be manufactured, are nevertheless occasionally molded into shapes which are incapable ot being extruded. In the latter ease, molded shapes of all degrees oi' assymmetry and irregularity may be manufactured by the employment 01' the herein described improved methods and apparatus Jfor molding by projection and impact, as by dropping a charge of material linto a mold,

Thus, the present in'iprovements are applicable to the manufacture o1" simple shapes, of granular and 'non-plastic material, and tend toward greater regularity of operation and superior quality ot product, as compared with the method. and apparatus de'- scribed in my said patents; they are applicable also to the manufacture ot more coniplex, `ditlicult and larger brick shapes than were practically within the operative scope of my method and apparatus described in the said patents; though it is to be borne in mind that the fundamental principle explained in those patents persists these improvements so long as the material operated on .is ot the non-plastic granular character.

But, in certain aspects herein to be alluded. to, the present improvements are also adapted to the formation ot con'iplen shapes, out or' plastic material, such as sott clay, and, oit course, are also adapted to the formation oi' simple shapes ol' plastic material, though it believed that the extrusion method 'will be regarded as more practical because more economical of time and power, for the pro-- duction of simple shapeaof uniform cross section. l

ln the mechanism, these improvements embodied in and expressed by the design and construction ot the hopper in which the mold charge is accumulated in preparation lor dropping to the mold, in themode el operation of the hopper in relation to the accumulated charge, and in the relationship of the hopper to the mold.

In its aspect as a method, these improvements are concerned `with the manner in t the bottom of the mold lill iso

which au accumulatedcharge is shaped, as in a hopper, with reference to the shape ot the mold which is to receive the charge, with the manner in which the accumulated charge is released in order to tail to the mold, and with the manner in which the charge enters and lills the mold.

ln the drawings hereto annexed, which illustrate these improvements,

liigure l represents a hopper and mold, the hopper provided with means Ytor jarring its vertical sides, but otherwise constructed as shown in my patents above referred to;

Figure 2, a top plan view ofthe hopper of Fig. l;

Figure 3, a mold, and hopper in which a side and halt the bottoni swing as one piece;

Figure et, a. top plan view et the hopper Ot' Fig.

Figure 5, a mold, and hopper termed by the junction between stationary end plates ot two downwardly inclined swinging gates;

Figure 6, a top plan view of lthe hopper ot Fig. 7;

Figure mold, and hopper termed by two inclined swinging plates which comprise both ends and sides oit the hopper;

Figure 8, a. top plan view ot the hopper of Fig. 9;

Figure 9, a perspective view oi the hopper of F10'. 7.

Figure 9, an end view ot the hopper shown in Fig. 9 with details added;

Figure 9b, a side view of the same;

Figures l() and il, perspective views oit special brick shapes.

The drawings are, with the exception of Figs. 9, 9a, 9b, l() and ll, diagrammatic; the mechanism for opening and closing the hopper may be of any specilic character, such as, for instance, that shown in Figs. et and i2 of Patent No. 1,332,676. Hopper-opening devices, adapted to quick action, are shown in Figs. 9"L and 9b, and will be described hereinbelow.

rllhe ho pptr shown iu Patent lll'it cor.- sisted or" stationary vertically disposed ends and sides, and a pair oi swinging` bottom gates1 which, meeting at a median line formed the bottom of the .hopper when closed together. lllhen an accumulated charge of granular brick material in such a hopper is released, even though the sepa ration of the bot-tom gates be al that the granular material in the first deprived of vertical support, is not allowed time enough to tall. appreciably in advance otl the material at the two sides et the bottom oi the accumulated charge. the material which was laterally suiviported by the sides and ends of the hopper, which adheres to the hopper to some extent, is appreciably delayed in its initial dov-Inward movement, and communicates this delay, by retardation, to material which lay nea-r though not in contact with the sides and ends of the hopper. There is produced, therefore, a shell of delayed granules around and above the main swarm as thc material. tails to the mold.

rFlic several figures ot drawing, hereto annexed, from l to Fig. l) inclusive, illustrate various mores and mechanisms by which the accumulated charge oit granular material in a hopper may be released, i. c., deprived ol" support both vertical and lateral, practically instantaneously, so that the charge starts to rali all at once.

In Figs, l and 2 the sides S (and the ends also it desired) are provided with mtans tor jarring or vibrating the vertical charge-supporting members ot the hopper, these being, illustrated, knobs or projections K, K, and a shallowntootlied or corrugated rack J, which, at and during the brie't time required to open the bottom gates G (hung on arms A and piroted at P) are moved over the knobs K, jarring them and the sides tl ot the hopper, so that the vibration of the sides S loosens the granular inziterial trom adhesive contact with them at. the instant the vertical support oit the gatesy G is withdrawn. Thus both lateral and vrrtical support are withdrawn from the charge in the hopper at the same time.

in .iligs 3 and l. the side S and gate Ci are secured together, and swing on the pivot l", to which they are securml by the s lThe sepmiatiou ol? the sides and laterali), heten-en he ends F l" ii it removes hoth lateral and vertical. support `from the charge simultaneously.

ln Fi 5 and 6, the sides tig oit the hopper uro 'dat plates which. pirotcd at l", eonverge together` 'forming a Vwedge shaped hopper-space between the ends ll., which are lined, llilhen the sides Si are abi-au ily swung outward, to the dotted line position. both lateral and vertical support are withdrawn simultaneously trom th charge.

lu the instances ilhistiate`E in Figs. l t1:- (3 inclusive, the ends l or i oi" the hoi per are stationary and vertical` so that` at the ends there 'will be produced the saure kind of retardation o'l2 gi'z'inules as was oliserved with thc hopper described in itcht lio. llJ'lflbi'tL the ends 'lil ll be pl' vvided with means tor i t' them, such as th knobs l5. ,i in l. Vlllhen, however and the mold lilrewi trom end to end, the reati l lare of the end pieces ot the hof, produce a c(irrcspoudingly small tion olE marginal granules.

lul, b v prcitcrcuce and cspcciallv when large brick shapes ot special contolu', or relatively great. dept-h` are to be made. all lateral and vertical support should he simultaneously removed Ytrom the accumulated r. di

charge in the hopper. rlhis maybe accomplishcd by mounting` the end pieces so that they, like the sides, move outward and away from the accumulated charge. For instance, in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the hopper is shown as composed of two similar pieces, each of which comprises y side plate S3 and laterally inclined end pieces E2, joined to the side plate, the whole pivoted at P. TWhen the sides and ends of a hopper thus constructed are abruptly swung apart, the entire accumulated charge is at one instant deprived of all support, and is momentarily suspendedin the air, an agg-regate of g 'anules in the mass-shape conferred upon it by the hopper in which the charge was deposited.

A manner in which the sides and ends of a hopper can be abruptly opened is illustrated in Figs. 9a and 9", in which the hopper is of the character and design of that illustratedL in Fig. 9. Each pivoted half of the hopper is provided with a lug L, to which is attached a spring' M, the other end of which is anchored to a portion of the frame of the building" or other stationary object, as indicated at ll'. 1When the two members of the hopper are closed together, the springs M are under tension. rlhis tension is resisted and the hopper kept closed` by means of the fixed toupjuc Q, fastened to one of the hopper members. and the pivoted latch l, pivotally mounted ou theother hopper member, in such relation to the tongue Q that the latch may engage the tongue and hold the hopper members closed. When the hopper is ready to discharge its contents, the latch Ris abruptly disengaged, as bv a hammer-blow against the boss R', and the springs M, M', cause the hopper to open instantaneously. W'heny the hopper is to be filled again, the two halves can be liirougbt together b v hand, and latched in closed relation. i

ln elfecty and with various amaroximations to the ideal condition, all the devices above 'described accomplish this purpose, of depriving' the accumulated charge substantially of all support atthe same instant, and leaving the mass of granules suspended. in. air for an instant, in the shape conferred. upon it by the hopperL lVhen this initial condition obtained.r it follows that every aranule in the charge will respond to gravr tative pull at the saine instant and start to fall directly downward. lllere the descent in vacuo, the shape of the charge would be the same, and the close aggregation be the salue on arrival at the mold as on leaving the position of the hopper. I

But by reason of the discontinuity of solid material in the cliargre in. and voided by, the hopper, the whole charge is interstitially filled with air, which is continuous through the charge. During the few feet of descent from the hopper position to the mold, air resistance, and to some extent also: diversity of bulk as between granule and granule, causes the charge to loosen and open, producing' the dense swarm. of air-separated granules which is the desired physical condition of the charge on its arrival at the mold.

Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings illustrate the preferred, and the most generally applicable and useful, exempliiication of my improvements. The mold charge, as formed in the hopper, and as it, descends and enters the mold, is Wedgeshaped, and falls with the thin end of the wedge downward. ln transverse section, the charge is like a lancehead. Entering the mold, a. charge thus shaped strikes the bottom of the mold first, and makes initial impact of granules (if such be the. constituent parts of the charge) at the central portion of the mold bottom. et this instant of first impact, the space between the thinpart of the wedgeshaped charge and the sides of the mold is void of brick-material; consequently the material,

scattering by impacts and seeking pat-hs. of least resistance, flies in all directions from the central portion of the mold outward; the progressively thicker parts of the wedgeshaped charge, entering the mold, supply successive increments of the material which` in the progressively decreasing lateral space available. similarly scatter outward and prevent earlier arrivals of material from returning toward the central part of the moldspace.. The material is thus projected with considerable force outwardly from the entering' charge, and accumulates in the mold by building' laterally and inwardly from the sides. The molded ch arge, formed as it is by an operation which s'continuous during the brief interval required to fill the mold, pre-V sents no stratitications or demarcations; but if successive layers of material, each of the same volume, were contrast-ingly colored in the hopper, the coloration of material when molded would present cross sections of a' series of conic sections, generally similar to the sections of surfaces produced 'by centrifugal action on a liquid in a rotating vessel.

rlhe adaptation ofthis preferred exempliiication of my improvementsto the formation of brick shapes of granular non-plastic material has been already described. lllhen, however, the' condition characterized by al mold charge previously shaped to a form and volume smaller in horizontal section than the mold7 particularly when the charge is tapered or wedgeshaped, is obtained,

these improvements find furthe-r adaptation in the field of genuinely plastic materials, such as the nely comminuted, tempered and moistened clay of which building bricks are made.

Practically, it is believed that in its application to plastic materials the relative utility of this improved method and apparatus will be confined to the production of large and complex shapes, incapable of beii'ig formed by the extrusion method, which is economically used kfor the manufacture of plastic brick shapes of a uniform cross scction.

f the mold charge be of .such plastic clay, shaped in a hopper so that the charge `will fall into the mold Wit-hout touching` the sides thereof until its material splashes laterally by impact, especially if the charge be made tapered or Wedge-shaped so as to enter the mold edge first, irregular or complex shapes can be accurately molded, and shapes not susceptible of being molded by extrusion may thus be automatically produced. Projection, as by dropping, of a mass of plastic material into a mold, the being equal to or greater than the mold in horizontal section, so that the open top of the mold is completely covered before the lower and lateral portions are filled, tends to imprison air in the mold, Which acts as a cushion to prevent the material from penetrating to all parts of the mold. For this reason previous methods of molding plastic material by dropping it from a height into a mold have been characterized b y subdividiug the plastic material into small bodies, such as pelletseach in itself plastic-and showering;- the pellets into the mold. rThis method laclis the laterally directed explosive scattering of the material such as is produced by the ai rest of a single Wedge-shaped mass, falling into the mold in the manner herein described.

The initial and characteristic step in this improvement on my patented method of forming brick-shapes of granular non-plastic material is the substantially instantaneous withdrawal of all support, both vertical and lateral, from a mold-charge accumulated in a hopper, and formed thereby in a. defined -shape and volume, so that this defined shape and volume. is not sensibly altered by the removal of support.

1f the proportions of the mold are such that the mold chargeI in the hopper is narrow, and the hopper therefore has ends of relatively small superficial er ent, this initial characteristic step Will be t'fectively taken if the mold-charge be not sensibly altered in its vertical transverse section, since marginal alteration in its vertical long jfitudinal section Will be inconsiderable because of the relatively inconsiderable area of the ends of the mold-charge. For the manufacture of brick shapes which are narrouT in horizontal section, therefore, all that will be necessary at the hopper to accomplish the desired result Will be to provide sides and bottom adapted to abrupt and complete e@ via).

Withdrawal of support from the charge at all supported surfaces thereoif except the ends. But, if the brick-shape to he molded is substantially as broad as it is long, provision should be made for releasing vertical and lateral support from all supported surfaces of the mold-charge in the hopper, in the manner described, so that the shape and volume of the mold-charge shall be unaltered by the act of withdrawing supiiort.

means such as above described, the shape and bull; of the aggregate of granules is determined, both at the beginning of its descent, and at the terminus of descent, since tie extent ot separation of granules in tran sit through a given distance is susceptible of measurement.

lWhat the initial shape and bulli of the hopper charge shall be, in order to secure practically perfect j, j ical conditions in the charge at the instant of arrival at the mold, is determined mainly with reference to ti e interior horizontal cross sectional area of the mold. Let it have been determined, for instanc, that a charge of granules opens out, or swells by spacial separation of its granular components, from thickness w, in the hopper, to thickness in at the lower end. of its descent (as indicated in Fig. l). lt the internal horizontal width of the mold he 12,02, then the hopper will be so proportioned that the thickness fifi of e, swarm of grauules shall bc slightly less than a2. il similar dimensional relation should lie established as bet en length of the nliold and the length ot the hopper. To express the matter more exactly z The maximum horizontal cross section. of the moldcharge .in the hopper should be uniformly and marginally smaller than the minimum horizontal interior cross Section of the mold by au area sutiicient to allow for the expansion of the charge by separation of granules during` fall to the mold, leaving preferably a slight excess or clearance, so that the maximum horizontal cross section of the expanded mold-charge shall be a little than the minimum internal horizontal cross section of the mold. la other Words, the desired condition is obtained, if the horizontal profile of the moldcharge in the hopper, when superposed on the horizontal proiile of the interior of the mold (both as veu/'ed from above) Were to shoiv the latter profile exceed', the former by a peripheral margin.

lllhen the horizonr section of the hopper is 'thus determined, its depth will be made sutiicient to holt mold-charge, with a sun plus of material for ensuing a complete mold-charge, as set forth in my said patents.

In the drawings, the hopper-charge designated by the letter C, and the elongated and expanded suf'arm. of ,o anni into which the mold-charge is transformed, .t ,y ie forces acting on it during descent, by the letter C.

The line L, L, in Figs. l, 3, 5 and 7, indicates diagrammatically the surplus material in the hopper Which lies above the line, that below the line representing the mold-charge, or the amount Which Will fill the mold level with the top thereof.

The horizontal cross section of the upper surplus material may be larger than the interior horizontal section of the mold. The sectional or dimensional relationships above described, relate only to portions of the hopper charge Which are destined to remain in the mold after deposition, and not to portions of the hopper charge which are therein accumulated as surplus to ensure compact filling of the top part of the mold. There is therefore a practical distinction between the hopper-charge and the mold-charge. ln order to ensure a full charge in the mold, the hopper charge contains more material than the filled mold, surplus deposited above the mold being removed and the top of' the mold# charge leveled off, as described in my said patents, The mold-charge, when in the hopper constitutes only apart of the hopp-ercharge. That portion of the hopper-charge which, as the mold-charge, is destined to enter and remain in the mold is the portion to be manipulated in the manner herein described. Practically, the Whole hopper charge Will be deprived of support both vertically and laterally to secure the results ar rived at; so far as concerns the essentials, however, the condition of granules in the upper or surplus portion of the hoppercharge both at the beginning of and during descent is of secondary, or no special, consequence, so long as a surplus of material is provided to furnish the final accumulation of compacted material over the top of the mold. By observing the rules of proportion, construction7 and operation above set forth, a mold-charge of individually isolated and mobile granules, in descending into a mold, falls vertically in its entirety; each granule arrives at its region of arrest and impact in the gravitative straight line of movement, and thus no granules distract or deflect others during descent by reason of their own retardation or deflection. Reaction of gra-nules upon each other is deferred until the movement when such reaction of repeated impacts is desired, in order to propel granules laterally to all portions of the mold.

Recesses, such as h (F ig. 7) will be. filled compactly by the improved method here described, and relatively large and deep shapes, such as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 1l, can be vmade automatically by the charge-dropping method. Heretofore, such large and rela-- tively complex shapes have been producible only by a slow hand method of gradual and progressive filling and tamping; and the shapes produced have been variable in respect to density and quality. Such shapes,

produced instantaneously by my improved method, are not only manufactured with far greater rapidity than by hand, but with accuracy and uniformity. In drying and firing, these automatically molded shapes suffer a loss by defects so small as to be inconsiderable. Y

lVhat l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln the designated method of molding brick-shapes of granular non-plastic material, accumulating a mold charge at a height above a mold, and simultaneously depriving said charge substantially in its entire ty of both verticaland lateral support.

2. In the designated method of molding blieb-shapes of granular non-plastic material, forming a mold charge of defined shape and volume at a height above a mold, and depriving said formed charge of vertical and lateral support Without derangement of its defined shape.

3. ln the designatedmethod of molding brick-shapes ofl granular non-plastic material, forming a mold charge of a defined vertical cross-section at a height above a mold, and depriving said formed charge of vertical and lateral support Without derangement of the definition of said vertical cross-section.

4.. ln the designated method of molding brick-shapes of granular non-plastic niaterial, accumulating -a mold charge at a height above a mold, simultaneously depriving said charge substantially in its entirety, of both vertical and lateral support, and allowing the constituent granules of said charge to fall freely each to its place of arrest Within the mold.

5. ln the designated method of 'molding brick-shapes of granular non-plastic material, forming a mold charge of defined shape and volume at a height above a mold, de-v priving said formed charge of vertical and lateral support' Without derangement of its dened shape, and allowing the constituent granules of said charge to fall freely each to its place of arrest Within the mold.

6. ln the designated method of `molding brick-shapes of granular nonsplastic material, forming a mold chargey of a defined vertical cross-section at a height above a mold, depriving said formed charge of ver-V tical and lateral support Without derangement of the definition of said vertical crosssection, and allowing the constituent gran ules of said charge to fall freely each to its place of arrest within the mold.

7. In the designated method of molding brick-shapes of granular non-plastic material, forming a mold charge at a height above a mold, of such defined shape that the horizontal profile of said mold charge is similar to, but smaller than the horizontal profile of the brick-shape to be molded, and

simultaneously depriving said mold charge substantially in its entirety ot both Vertical and lateral support.

8. In the designated method ot moldingbrick-shapes of granular non-p rial, `forming` a mold-charge of delined-shape and volume at a height above a molch such that the horizontal profile oil said mold charge is similar' to but smaller than the horizontal prole of the brick-shape to be molded, and depriving said mold charge of vertical and lateral support without derangement of its delined shape.

9. ln the designated method ot molding brick-shapes of granular non-plastic material, forming a mold charge of a dened vertical cross-section and of horizontal profile similar to but smaller than the horizontal profile of the brick-shape to be molded`r at a. height above a mold, and depriving said form-ed charge of vertical and lateral support Without derangement of the definition of said Vertical cross-section.

l0. The designated method ot forming brick-shapes by dropping a charge ot brickmaterial into a. mold, characterized by buildingr the molded shape progressively from the sides of the mold inwardly.

ll. The designated method oi forming; brick-shapes comprising forming a moldcharge of brick material ol a deined vertical cross-section and of horizontal prole similar to but smaller than the horizontal profile of the brick-shape to be molded, at

a height above a mold, and dropping; said formed charge into a mold.

l2. The designated method oi 'forming brick-shapes, comprising` forming a wedgeshaped mold charge ot horizontal proh'le similar to the horizontal proile ot the brickshapeto be molded, at a height above a. mold and dropping said formed charge point orenioet into a mold.

13. ln the de 'Ojnated method ot molding brick-shapes or nrannlm' non-plastic material, forming' ii'edge-shaped mold charge at a height above a mold, oit horizontal profile similar to the horizontal prolile oi? the brick-shape to be izzold-id, and dropping said formed charge point 'foremost into a mold.

le. The method oit making' silica brick. or tho like` which comprises the compression oit a quantity ot plastic material into a com- `)act sube antialliT weder sha- )ed mass oro- .f n n jecting, Ls by opina, the material to a. mold, such quantity ot' the material being); slightly in excess of the capacity of the mold, and in such manner that the point ot` the Wedge shaped mass ot the material will strike the center oi the mold and spread to all sides and corners thereof.

l5. rlllhe designat l method ol? `formino' briclr-.shapeea compi o' forming a downwardly taoered-shzmed mold charge of hori zontal pi oiile sind ai to the horizontal pro- .tile of the brick-shape to be molded? and dropping; said forme-rl charge point 'toreniost intoa mold.

Signed by ine at Boston. Massachnsettg this twenty-third day ot' lli/lay, 1921.

CHARLES L. NORTN. 

